Clay Aiken Fans Vote, Wrap for Inclusion

Singer Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel co-founded the National Inclusion Project in July 2003. Graphic design by AmazingCA, photo by PermaSwoonded.

With Pepsi Refresh Campaign

Fans Aim for $50k Inclusion Grant

So Clay Aiken's Nov. 30 "birthday present" will just have to wait for New Year's Eve delivery!

A picture-perfect ending to November would have resulted in a gift-wrapped $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant for the National Inclusion Project, the charity Clay co-founded with Diane Bubel in 2003. However, last month's campaign ended with the foundation two positions away from the 10 funded groups.

By the dawn of Dec. 1, NIP supporters had regrouped and were off and running with a new set of alliances and partners in their quest for $50k funding for inclusive programs throughout the country.

Official alliances and partnering charities reciprocating with the NIP are listed on the voting widget below, in this blog's sidebar and on several Clay Aiken message boards across the Net.

At some sites, members have voting assignments for a specific group. Others make their own selections, either an all-alliance ballot or a combination of alliances and partners.

NIP Voting Widget contains alliances plus A-E partners.

Inclusion Project Starts at #2

Either way, it's working. The Inclusion Project opened the December campaign in second place, and supporters are working daily to hold a winning position through midnight Dec. 31.

For those new to the process of utilizing all three voting methods (Pepsi, Facebook, mobile text), read How To Vote in the NIP Voting Widget.

If you need a slice of the holiday spirit, scroll through the comment section of the National Inclusion Project's page on the Pepsi Refresh site. Charities are not only diligently working for their cause, but they are also supporting and pulling for other groups.

Below is a "singlet" from a 4x4 holiday flier that can be attached or included in vote-recruiting emails to family, friends, and associates.

Designed by Scarlett, the flier can be right-clicked, saved, and used in other ways, too: as hand-outs at WFI stations and various community locations (bank, beauty shop, library, church), as inserts in Christmas cards, etc. Please share your ideas in a comment below.

Creative Fans Recruit More Voters

During the past three months, this blog has highlighted several creative, successful strategies from various CA fans. These are again from queenmama247:

When I went to the grocery store, I talked with the Salvation Army bell ringer outside. I dropped some money in her bucket, and she placed a stack of NIP fliers on the bench beside her. She was such an angel.

I forgot to buy something, so I sent my husband back to the store. He said he dropped some money in the Salvation Army bucket, and the lady gave him a flier. He couldn't understand by I cracked up; he had brought my own flier back to me!

Later she returned with a postscript:

I had a very productive day. Besides giving fliers to the bell ringer, I dropped some off at the library since the ones they had were ALL GONE.

Then I left some on the counter at the bank. Will do more at church on Sunday. The fliers seem very easy to pass out. Only thing is they eat up my cartridge!

A few months ago, Thankful4Clay asked CA fans to vote for her mother's singer in a Twitter poll. Now the Blake Shelton fans are returning the favor by casting daily votes all three ways for the NIP in the Pepsi Challenge.

Colorful WFI station in Iowa yields donations for NIP.

NIP Supporters Wrap for Inclusion

In addition to the Pepsi Refresh Challenge, the holiday season provides several fund and awareness-raising opportunities for the National Inclusion Project

Wrapping for Inclusion, which not only spreads holiday cheer with a gift-wrapping service for shoppers, is traditionally an excellent opportunity for tell others about the foundation's inclusive mission and programs.

Accompanying the colorful wrapping materials of well-stocked WFI stations are fliers about the foundation's programs. With the Pepsi Refresh campaign in session, this season's WFI centers also are providing Internet and text info for new voting recruits.

Screen cap of NIP Flier
Double Clickable

Download the fliers from this PDF link, print, and share with prospective voters at WFI centers, as well as other community locations. Ask recipients to text the same vote everyday in November.

Below are clickable thumbnails of Pepsi fliers designed by Scarlett for the holiday season. Using the PDF flier links for color and/or black/white, download, print, and share at WFI stations and in other places. See double clickable caps below.

NIP Pepsi Fliers for Holiday Season

An annual event nationwide, WFI started in some places during November. To locate a wrapping center and coordinator in your area, see this schedule on the NIP website.

Wreath Project Decks the Halls

In the annual Deck the Halls for Inclusion fundraiser, every online purchase through Rockdale Wreaths earns the NIP $9 for singles or $13 for bulk packages (8 wreaths shipped to a single address).

Be sure to place orders on the Rockdale page displaying the NIP banner.

Samples of Rockdale Wreaths

Christie Cookies Chips in for Kids

As Christie Cookie's Charity of the Month, the National Inclusion Project will receive 20% of the merchandise price through the Chippin' in for Kids fundraiser.

Below are clickable images of the NIP cookie assortment and further explanation of the project. Flavors in the NIP cookie tin include Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, and Oatmeal Raisin. Use the link above to order.

Inclusion Project is Charity of the Month.

Good Search/Good Shop Yield $15k

What if National Inclusion Project - Bubel Aiken Foundation - BAF earned a donation every time you searched the Internet? Or what if a percentage of every purchase you make online goes to support the NIP cause?

As most fans know, both of these are possible through GoodSearch and Good Shop. Be sure to designate the charity for which you are searching or shopping online.

The Yahoo-powered search engine donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search and up to 30 percent of each purchase, to the designated charity. NIP supporters have generated $15,000 for the cause with these two methods.

This is a no-brainer for an online shopper like me. The Good Shop connection features hundreds of stores, including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, eBay, Macy's, Barnes & Noble, to name a few. Adding the handy Good Search/Good Shop toolbar to your computer is the first step.

'Help Others Meet Norm' This Week

In celebration of Inclusive Schools Week Dec. 6-10, the NIP is partnering with other organizations in the youth-led national campaign "I Am Norm!"

For the week's activities, the Inclusion Project has created a free "I Am Norm" Educational Guide that can be downloaded from the site and used to promote disability rights and inclusions this month and beyond.

For more information, see Help Others Meet Norm at the NIP website. For background, a video, and more activities of this youth-led campaign, visit the I Am NORM website.

Below are clickables of three Clay Aiken designs by AmazingCA, including this entry's opening graphic. Photos by PermaSwooned are featured in the first and third designs.

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation! Keep those Pepsi votes pouring in!



Holiday signature by Linda